Communication networks, such as cellular communication networks, usually include spatially dispersed base stations connected to a core network. Each base station supports communication links to mobile devices within a given coverage area (e.g. a cell). Users of such networks are not usually evenly geographically distributed. Instead, they tend to be concentrated in particular areas such as towns and cities. Certain areas such as metropolitan centres, train stations, airports and so on are likely to experience particularly high densities of users.
Each base station can only support a certain level of data communication before the quality of service to individual mobile devices begins to reduce. Therefore, in areas of high user density, to provide sufficient communication capacity, conventionally networks are arranged with a higher number of base stations which provide a greater number of smaller cells. In areas that only experience high densities of users occasionally (for example rural areas that host music festivals or areas around and including sporting stadiums) cellular communication network providers may also deploy additional permanent base stations to provide a higher number of smaller cells. However, this is inefficient as unlike areas that experience consistently high user densities, for much of the time the additional communication capacity may go unused or under used. Alternatively, temporary base stations can be deployed and only used during periods of high user density. However, this can be logistically difficult and requires the network operator to retain potentially large amounts of physical infrastructure that is normally not used. Similarly, it can be difficult to efficiently provide additional communication capacity for areas within a network that experience high densities of users unexpectedly or unpredictably.